


I've Been Trying To Fix My Pride

by Uglysweater



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A KISS!, M/M, Underage Drinking, content warning: awkwardness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 07:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6601699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uglysweater/pseuds/Uglysweater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For a boy whose instinct is still often tells him to just run, for the boy who still sees himself as the the quitter rather than future captain, the graduation of Karasuno’s third years hits hard. </p><p>Former third years, Chikara reminds himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I've Been Trying To Fix My Pride

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Sarah and Emilee for watching these dumb volleyballs with me cant wait to see you in a few days!
> 
>  
> 
> goD i hope no one who subscribed to this channel for raven cycle stuff sees this

Graduation does something funny to a person, even when it's not your own. There's this sense of instantaneous change, a shift that's not quite under your control. You can only see it coming from a distance and hope you can stay standing when it hits you. For a boy whose instinct is still more often than not tells him to just _run_ , for the boy who still sees himself as the the _quitter_ rather than future captain, the graduation of Karasuno’s third years hits hard. 

_Former third years_ , Chikara reminds himself.

He screws his eyes shut tighter, fighting off the daylight threatening to draw him into consciousness. Chikara knows that when he does wake up he’ll have to contend with the fact that he’s no longer watchful number 6, safe on the sidelines. 

He’ll also apparently have to contend with whatever the hell happened last night.. 

The night before had been a combination of celebration the volleyball club as a whole and a send off for Daichi, Suga, and Asahi. Someone, probably Asahi since he looked the oldest, had been able to wrangle beer, although it was almost certainly not his decision. The night had been full stories. Stories from this year's miraculous Spring tournament. Stories from Chikara’s first year (He tried to ignore the burn in his chest when stories he should have been there for were told). And stories only the three third years remember from their own first year. A scrapbook of a high school life told in words spiraling around aluminum cans. Chikara walked from room to room in Daichi’s big house passing the faces of his teammates. Passing faces of those he’d miss next time he pulled on his uniform. Passing the faces of those who'd be relying on him as well. 

He had only planned on staying a few hours, and set an alarm on his phone to go off at 10:30. But drink number three Ennoshita Chikara handed his phone of to Noya at some point to take a picture of Hinata since his own phone was full. And drink number four Chikara stopped caring to look for it.

And now it feels like something had died on his tongue. His mouth feels dry and stale, but his head hurt less then he had been expecting. In the bright light of the morning Chikara's draws the blankets up to cover his face. 

He flinches and his eyes fly open. The blankets buried under his nose are not his. The room he's in is also not his. 

Chikara tries to roll and sit up but there's a muscular arm thrown over his waist, holding him in place. The arm is bare, as is the rest of the torso it's attached to. Because of course Tanaka Ryuunosuke sleeps without a shirt. The boy behind him begins to stir. Briefly Tanaka’s hand snakes up Chikara's chest before pulling away. He feels Tanaka stretch out behind him. He hears him too. Tanaka signs and groans while he reaches his arms over his head and Chikara is acutely aware that he is not wearing the pants he had on at the party. 

There's really no sense in trying to hide himself, Tanaka is already awake and aware that Chikara is in his bed. He also can't really pretend whatever happened _didn't_ when he's not entirely clear on what _did_ happen. He rolls over onto his back. Then they're just two guys, two teammates, laying next to each other. In bed. 

“I know what you’re thinking.” Tanaka says, breaking the silence. 

“Okay, What am I thinking?” Chikara asks because he's not sure what he's thinking himself. He's pretty sure he's trying to think of where he could have possibly left his phone. And his pants. And if both objects are still at Daichi's. He's almost certain he's not thinking about how Tanaka’s voice in the morning sounds gruff but softer than it sounds when he's screaming at practice. 

“I lied,” Tanaka admits, “I have no idea what you're thinking.” 

Chikara huffs out a laugh, “Cool. Me neither.” He exhales heavily, clutching the blanket tight. It's a little too warm underneath, but it feels more like security than anything at this point so Chikara will deal with the little bit of sweat prickling at the back of his knees. He has to ask. He knows he has to ask. “Did we?” His voice cracks, coming out little more than a squeak. He starts of over. “Did we do anything last night?”

“What? No!” Tanaka sits up and puts a hand to his chest. He closes his eyes, looking momentarily serene. He has that same stupid face he and Noya always have on whenever they do something stupid, “I am a gentleman.” 

Chikara rolls his eyes but relief blooms somewhere deep in his chest. He asks, “So why’d I end up here if it wasn't for you to ravish me?” 

He's not sure why he phrased it like that, maybe to level the playing field mortification wise. The blush that starts on Tanaka's cheeks and spreads down his neck and (still bare) chest isn't expected, but appreciated. As is his stuttered response. 

“I- uh, you. Okay?” He keeps blubbering, looking up at the ceiling and rubbing the back of his neck. Chikara nudges his with his knee, urging him to continue. “Saeko came around one to drive me home. I convinced her to drive the rest of the second years home too. Which, oh my god, she's never gonna do again. Kinoshita _puked_. Can you believe it? Hahaha. He's fine, he's blaming Saeko’s reckless driving and a ‘pre-existing condition’ of motion sickness. But damn. He _hurled_.” 

Tanaka takes a second to settle his laughter before continuing. He blush is back when he says, “So you. Uh. Wouldn't tell us where you lived? You really don't remember? Shit. I mean, I think you were just really sleepy. I don't think you meant any of it.” 

“Oh my god.” Chikara covers his face with his hands. He considers trying to suffocate himself with the blanket. Because it's all coming back. He remembers being in the car. He remembers trying so put as much space between himself and Kinoshita’s mess. He remembers pressing himself against Tanaka's side. He remembers asking, begging, for Tanaka to take him home. He remembers slurring, ‘No not _my_ home, ace. _Yours. Please_.’ He remembers Saeko cackling in the drivers seat. Fuck. He remembers pressing his nose into Tanaka, just beneath his ear. He mumbles into his palms, “Oh _god_.” 

“It wasn't that bad.” 

“I licked your neck!” He hears Tanaka try to stifle a laugh, and it's horrible. 

“It's fine. We’ve all done embarrassing shit.” And that does momentarily make Chikara feel better. Because Tanaka's average for embarrassing and publicly humiliating moments is much much higher than his own, “And everything's fine. We got home. You drank some water, borrowed some sweatpants, and fell asleep. Your parents know you're here. And your phone is drying in the kitchen. So. All good.” 

Chikara presses his hands harder into his face and groans. He's resigned to dying there. He feels a little bad at the inconvenience it'll undoubtedly cause the Tanakas, cleaning up a body and all. But there's nowhere to run, so he had better just perish. 

Something touches his elbow lightly. He glances down to see Tanaka wrap his fingers around his forearm. Chikara lets the other boy peel his hand away from his face. He watches Tanaka hold his hand up for inspection. He can't tell what exactly he's looking for. It makes his throat feel tight. 

“Don't do anything weird.” 

“Weird? Weird like what?”

 _Like holding my hand in the morning in your bedroom_ , he thinks. He says, “Weird like stick it in your mouth.” 

Tanaka laughs, loud and sudden. Too loud to match the soft breeze coming in and rustling his curtains. Chikara closes his eyes and sighs. He should leave. He should get out of here before this gets any more out of hand. Before any more of himself gets exposed. He should leave so he can shove all this back down. He feels something warm and wet on his fingertips. 

“What did I _just_ say?” Chikara says. 

Tanaka sucks his tongue back in his mouth. There's saliva cooling on Chikara’s fingers. “Well I didn't put the whole thing in!” 

Chikara groans. He still hasn't pulled his hand back to safety. Tanaka shrugs, “You shouldn't tell me not to do something. Because chances are I won't stop thinking about it until I do it.” 

“Are you telling me,” Chikara says, sitting up. He has to slide a little closer to Tanaka just to keep his hand in reach. He still hasn't pulled it back. “That as your captain I cannot tell you _not_ to do something.” 

“Yeah,” Tanaka throws his head back and laughs. Their shoulders brush. “Unless it's something you actually want me to do.” 

“Oh? Like what?” Chikara is a little disgusted with how flirty his own voice sounds. Tanaka, who just laughs again, doesn't seem to have noticed. 

“Like, _Oh Tanaka don't win this game or I'll be very disappointed_. Or _Tanaka definitely don't spike as hard as you can_.” He's tracing shapes Chikara can't make out on his open palm. His voice is quieter when he says, “Or. Tanaka. You won't want to kiss me when I'm sober.” 

Chikara looks away from their hands. “Oh.” So much for keeping his undignified crush a secret. He finally, finally, pulls his hand back. “Well. I better be-”

“I just don't get why you'd think that.” Tanaka interrupts. “I get you not wanting to kiss _me_ when you're sober. That's why I didn't want to last night. But I don't get why you'd think I wouldn't want to kiss you.” 

Chikara shakes his head, “You don't want to kiss me.” 

“Yes I do! Ennoshita. I like you!” 

“You don't like me, you airhead,” He states plainly, because it should be obvious, “You like Shimizu.”

“Okay, I'm infatuated with Shimizu. I worship her. She’s perfect.” Tanaka looks down for a moment. Chikara watches something settle in his shoulders. When he looks back up and meets Chikara’s gaze Chikara finds it suddenly hard to breathe. “I _like_ you.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yeah.” Chikara watches Tanaka’s face briefly contort through a series of expressions, “So. Yeah. Well. This one one of the rare types of situations where if you tell me not to I'll definitely listen. I swear I won't bother-”

“Tanaka,” Chikara interrupts. He places his hand, still warm from when Tanaka held it a moment ago, on the other boys shoulder, turning him to face him. His other hand comes to cup the side of Tanaka’s jaw, “Don't kiss me with gross morning breath.” 

Tanaka's eyes widen. He smiles wryly, “See, now I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about that until I do it.” 

Chikara grins. Instead of answering he simply closes the distance between them, sealing their lips together.

**Author's Note:**

> Im gonna write a sequel just so I can write this dialogue somewhere
> 
> "Nice receive captain"  
> "I haven't touched the ball"  
> "No, but you've touched my heart" 
> 
> Im at sweetpotatogucci on tumblr!!


End file.
